Ever tried to memorize a script?
No matter how hard you try, you always forget something or you flub your lines.
Cue cards don’t seem to help much either. They get out of order. You worry you’re spending too much time looking at your cards instead of the audience. Looking down and trying to find your place makes you nervous.
The best way to memorize a speech is simpler than you might think.
It doesn’t involve endless hours of practice.
It doesn’t involve writing out talking points on the back of your hand or on cue cards.
And it does help you to speak to your audience confidently, naturally, with a steady voice.
Table of Contents
The trick to remembering your speech
The rule of threes applies to memorizing your speech.
Firstly, there are three steps:
- Understand your topic deeply
- Understand what outcome is required
- Create an outline
Topic -> Outcome -> Outline = TOO
1. Understand your topic deeply
The first key to remembering your speech is to understand your topic well.
Think about it like this: if you know your topic well you’ll be able to easily talk about the speech matter, even if you forget your place.
As long as you can talk about your topic, even if you forget your place the audience won’t notice. This knowledge should instantly make your speech more natural and boost your confidence.
2. Understand what outcome is required
Knowing your topic well can be a blessing and a curse.
It’s a blessing because it helps us to deliver a more natural and confident speech.
It’s a curse because we often assume the audience has more knowledge than they do. We know our topic so well that we assume too much background knowledge on the audience’s part and we don’t share enough detail with them.
Deciding what outcome is required from your speech helps you to deliver the right amount of information to your audience to lead them to that outcome.
3. Create an outline
Now that you understand your topic well and know what outcome you need it’s time to create an outline.
Remember the rule of threes?
We use the rule of threes when we create our outline as well.
Sit down with a piece of paper and create a mind map.
In the center of the paper write the outcome you require.
Around the outcome map out three main points (or less) you need to talk about to reach that outcome.
For example:
Outcome required: Get sales people to adopt newly introduced selling practices
Point 1: Our company’s terrible sales performance last year
Point 2: The new practices that have been developed to close sales more quickly
Point 3: Sales increase forecasts for the coming year
You mind map now becomes an easy to remember blueprint for what you need to say in your presentation.
Summary
Follow the rule of threes for the best way to memorize your speech:
- Understand your topic deeply
- Understand what outcome is required
- Create an outline
Topic -> Outcome -> Outline (3 main outline points) = TOO3
Saqib Irfan says
Some good simple, straightforward tips.
This Mind Map idea sounds interesting and something I will definitely practice.
Thanks for the golden nuggets and advise!!
Fran Asaro says
Thank you Dave, Great information. I feel that many people who think they have stage freight don’t. It’s actually a feeling of not being prepared with their material that has them so nervous. These steps will surely help in that area.
Eustace D says
There is great wisdom in keeping things simple.
Knowing your Topic is most important, The Outcomes and Outline gives you a proper guidance and also helps with keeping to timing.
Thanks Dave – this is exactly what you have done. I Like the TOO approach.
peter says
It seems there is no single rule for memorization. For me, I used a single 3×5 inch card with a simple mind map drawn on it that listed the key points I wanted to cover. Then I practised with the card till I didn’t need the card anymore and the mind-map picture was in my head.
This method helps you not to forget to talk about key areas which is so easy to do in the heat and excitement of your live talk.
But in the live talk, I always had the mind-map card in my hand as a lifesaver although I rarely referred to it.
Dave Mac says
Thanks for sharing, Peter. This is a really cool approach!
Catherine Barron says
Yes, yes, yes to all 3 Toos!
I have a course on public speaking & coach it as well. I never tell students to memorize their speech but suggest having an outline mind guide. Excellent illustration for presenting & thank you!!
David Perridge says
Like previous respondents I too recognise the truth that the simplicity of what you propose belies its effectiveness. I would just add that in my experience in training and presenting over many years there is a 4th ingredient that’s equally powerful.
I’m referring to establishing for yourself the deeper “why?” behind your message. The question to be answered is “For what purpose?” Identifying and experiencing in a full sensory manner what at your core this speech or presentation means to you, will allow you to speak with, and communicate a powerful authenticity.
Lin Laurie says
I’ve always talked about topics I knew intimately so this seemed obvious to me, but I never actually said it to myself. Sometimes the most obvious is also not so obvious because in my case I just do instead of think about the doing of it.
Yesterday was the first time since I was a teenager where I did a talk without any PPTs, or other materials. I gave a handout, but I spent an hour talking about four topics that were about things I knew really well because they were about me or things my organization was up to. It was amazing and freeing and I left with a huge smile on my face.
I’ve been a teacher or a trainer and always had the PPT, or was demonstrating software so I always had the steps to show the thing I was demoing to keep me in place more so than bullet points. I never thought about those of you who talk about things you aren’t doing or working with and yet you have to talk about like you do. Teaching soft skills might be tough too. So I agree that the thing is not to practice the speech but to practice working with the subject matter until you know it inside and out and then you’ll be able to speak about it in a way that you can make changes on the fly if your time is cut short. But if you are tied to a list of bullet points and you have to cut the time down, it will take you out of your comfort zone and ruin your timing. No one wants that.
I loved this topic and I have enjoyed exploring the Dave Mac sight. I will bookmark it and come back.
Jill Davis says
Great reminder in a well written article. The rule of 3 is a classic way to “keep it simple!”
Richard Presley says
I tell all my new instructors, “Never say anything in front of a class that you have not already said in rehearsal.” I have certain key phrases and approaches to the topics I know well and it is very easy for me to “pull them out of my hat” so to speak because I’ve rehearsed them so many times before. This is not to say you should become repetitious, but rather, you should be thoroughly rehearsed, so that you look natural when you speak.
Craig Seifferth says
I love the simplicity of this approach. There’s a lot to commend to it. One danger to knowing your topic well, and being passionate about it, is saying too much rather than too little. But knowing it well allows you to address questions well and of course builds credibility.
I agree that memorizing the speech often makes it feel canned or at least parts of it can feel that way. That said, I found helpful the advice to memorize your opening and closing, because for some people, the hardest part of a speech is starting and ending it.
A powerful principle is to clearly articulate the “big idea” and be able to state that big idea as concisely as possible, usually with compelling verbs and often as the outcome or action point you want them to take. There’s power in brevity. Does it pass the 3 AM test? That is, if you wake up at 3 AM thinking about your speech, can you state the big idea succinctly? If so, you have a good big idea.
Sujatha Menon says
Loved your simple and structured method. I use PPTs but the slides are more for progression, are visually appealing, I usually pause once I change the slide so they can absorb the cartoons of clipart and that’s also my clue to what I want to say. Slides are not too many either.
I am going to rethink my presentation in terms of end results
Thank you.
Brandon Jones says
I really like this approach to giving speeches. I have tried both the memorization and outline approaches and they both have their place.
The outline approach is very useful when speaking to a group that you are trying to help take action. You can say what you need to say to encourage the group to take action. You can also change your verbiage to meet their needs.
The outline approach, however, may not be the best method when you have a very specific and tight time frame. The outline approach if you’re not careful can lead you to short change a topic or ramble on too long.
What’s most important is that you use the appropriate method for the appropriate setting.
Stephanie Silverman says
It’s an interesting idea – thanks for sharing it. More than all of this, having a clear purpose – a “why” – for each element of what you include will help you remember the “what” AND deliver that message with more dynamism and meaning.
Remembering what you want to say, rather than why your audience needs to hear it leads to a less valuable experience for all.
Venkat says
Crisp and very helpful points.
Yolanda Camhi says
Hi, I loved the article. I agree wholeheartedly memorizing a speech makes for a difficult presentation. The 3 steps seem logical and easy to use. I will try it the next time I have a presentation to give!
Thanks!
Chris Pehura says
The best way I can remember a speech or lecture is by drawing sketches of what I’m talking about. Then associate those sketches with positions in the room and specific people in the audience. Then I rehearse while standing, walking, and gesturing.
When I get to an audience, I may miss a word or two. But my audience wouldn’t notice that unless I bring it up.
Dave Mac says
I really like this approach, Chris. Image-related stuff is so much easier to remember than text.
Hasan Gez says
Hi Dave,
Very helpful article… Thanks..
Actually between the lines you suggest “know your speech by heart” instead of memorizing. Am I right?
Kind regards
hasan
Dave Mac says
Hi Hasan,
Thanks for your feedback.
I wouldn’t recommend “knowing by heart” as that suggests knowing it perfectly. I would suggest knowing your subject in-depth so you can talk about it as though you know it by heart.
I always relate it to regular social conversation. When you are talking to a friend you don’t talk “perfectly” but you “fluidly” because you know what you want to say and you know the subject you are talking about in-depth.
Cheers,
Dave
JoAnn Noel says
Great tips. Thanks for sharing.
Jacinth Tracey, PhD | Wired2Succeed Leadership Consulting says
I’m not a proponent of trying to memorize a speech. Speakers who do that tend to appear inauthentic and overly rehearsed. These are the same speakers who can’t make adjustments to their speech if there are time constraints (for example, if the moderator tells you that you need to cut your talk by 10 minutes due to scheduling issues) or if the speaker before them have covered similar points. Instead, I memorize talking points; much like you suggest and can pivot and discuss a variety of relevant themes related to those talking points. This approach has served me well for years and has allowed me to connect more meaningfully with my audience.
Brandon Hardison says
Could not have said it any better – good job!
Dave Mac says
Hi Peter, I totally agree! Memorization creates far more problems than it solves. Being clear on your message and having a simple mind map to follow means the presenter can deliver far more naturally. Thanks for your comment!
Peter Dhu says
Dave, great article and I also love the rule of 3. However I prefer not to memorize speeches. I think if you are clear on your message, clear on what your audience wants and have 3 or 4 key stories that illustrate your points, then you should be able to present extemporaneously without the need to memorize your speech. It becomes more of a mind map that you follow as you present.
Dave Mac says
Cheers Louis!
Louis Di Bianco says
Thanks for this no-nonsense approach to remembering a presentation speech. I love the rule of 3’s. It has power and magic. And, the acronym, TOO is great as well.